Damian ''Jr. Gong'' Marley's Welcome To Jamrock Certified Gold by RIAA; Project Also Nominated for Two Grammy Awards

02/04/2006 05:46AM

New York, USA (BUSINESS WIRE) - With the kind of critical acclaim rarely bestowed on any artist, an opening slot on the biggest tour of the year, multiple television appearances, a record breaking sales debut, and today's certification as Gold (500,000 copies sold), one might be tempted to look at what Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley has already attained with his heralded Tuff Gong/Universal Records album Welcome to Jamrock. But the youngest son of reggae superstar Bob Marley has never been one to rest on his laurels.

With two nominations (for Best Reggae Album and Best Urban/Alternative Performance) for February 8th's Grammy Awards, a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live set for February 9th, a new single and video hitting this month ("Beautiful" featuring Bobby Brown) and a hefty slate of concerts appearances coming together in the Europe, Australia, Japan and the U.S., including appearances at Bonnaroo and Coachella, "Jr. Gong" and his record label are putting a huge, worldwide push behind the second phase of what is certainly the most praised and respected reggae music effort to be released in recent memory.

2005 was a great year for Damian. When his album was released in September, it attained Number 7 on the sales charts, making it the biggest opening for a Reggae artist in history (Sean Paul now holds the record). Welcome To Jamrock also received unparalleled critical acclaim right out of the box, making the album a rare commercial and critical success. Both Spin and Rolling Stone put the track in their year-end Top Ten. The New York Times called Welcome to Jamrock "a contender for Reggae Song of the Decade." New York Magazine named Welcome to Jamrock Best Single of 2005. Entertainment Weekly gave the album an A- and said the "Bob's youngest updates the family legacy (impeccable reggae arrangements, political vision) with limber rhymes and urgent dancehall beats."

Welcome to Jamrock rose out of Kingston to become the undisputed street hit of 2005, an anthem in American cities all across the country. The track got the attention of rock superstars U2, who enlisted Marley to open on 15 sold out dates of their Number One U.S. tour. Marley was also honored by Vibe Magazine with the "Boomshot" Award for Jamrock at their annual televised awards show last fall.

The strong radio and street profile, a video on multiple video channels, performances on a multitude of latenight outlets and a slew of solid roadwork, have all helped to propel Jamrock to Gold status. With so many exciting events and performances on the horizon for "Jr. Gong," the best days for Marley's Jamrock are undoubtedly yet to come.

Buy the CD:

In North America (USA): Welcome to Jamrock

In Europe (UK): Welcome to Jamrock

World Music Central
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